Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Our greatest destination in Maine was none other than Acadia National Park, where the mountains are high and the scenery is incomparable. Besides the drive by views we saw on the way there, our first major stop in the park was for lunch at the Jordan Pond House Restaurant, on the recommendation of a friend.

After a few detours and taking some winding roads through the park, we finally arrived to our destination and let me tell you that the Jordan Pond House is one of the best places, if not the best place, to have lunch in Acadia National Park. Why?

Well, #1 is because of the fabulous outdoor seating and #2 is because of its well-sized gift shop! As you can see by the pictures below, not only do you get to enjoy the wonderful outdoor air, but you also get to take in the wonderful scenery of the park, while being served at your leisure.

Though the price of the food can be a little steep for lunch, the lunch they offer is still quite delicious and their “popovers” are awesome. For those of you who don’t know, a popover is a unique pastry almost exclusive to Maine and it’s kinda like a cross between a crispy croissant on the outside and a fluffy pancake on the inside!

The gift shop at Jordan Pond is also a great place to visit given its convenience. Because, once you’re done with a great meal complete with photo-moments, you can also knock out a second bird with the same stone by completing your souvenir runs too.

Finally, after our lunch we headed over to Cadillac Mountain, which is considered to be the tallest mountain on the entire east coast. Supposedly, if someone were to stand at its peak during the first few minutes of dawn, that person would be able to see the sunrise before anyone else in the east coast. Personally, I never tried it, but, if time allows on my next Maine trip, it’ll definitely be something worth a try. Below is a little video of my slow driving accent to the peak, followed by photos from a few scenic stops that I took along the way.

Here’s a video of the peak (best to turn off the volume and watch it since the wind messed the sound up) along with some photos taken from there. Isn’t Acadia cool!!!

Here's me!

So summing it up, here’s a bulk of advice for new Maine travelers:

Advice #6: Acadia Park should be the one location that you should at least visit in Maine. And Cadillac Mountain should be the one location that you should at least visit in Acadia Park.

Advice #7: Set aside at least 2 whole days to spend at Acadia National Park. I would personally suggest more.

Advice #8: The Jordan Pond House is the best place to eat lunch in Acadia! When there, be sure to go for the outdoor seating.

Advice #9: When in Maine, every visitor must try, at least once, freshly made Maine popovers with Maine blueberry jam!